Do ARTISTS/MUSICIANS make a living in India?

crowgirl

Hi all,

If this has already been discussed please point me to it and move this one.

I was curious as to whether or not one could actually make a living monetarily pursuing music, painting, writing in India?

It seems that most every person I've met of Indian nationality has a huge degree in engineering, IT, etc. If they do anything creative it is on the side lines with barely any room to do it as there are always family obligations, kid's activities/school stuff and the like that take high precedence.

Here in US some people can/do make a living pursuing the arts but it is increasingly becoming harder and harder to do so unless one has a very specific niche and following. Most are now having to re-think education and paths for the money part.

For instance the musicians who perform at the Chennai Dec Music festival and during the year- do you think they have other jobs they have to do in order to stay alive and fruitful in their personal lives?

Comments desired!

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robotvoice

I played with some traveling musicians when I arrived in Kolkata. They roam constantly to different areas for different festivals, as well as performing on the streets for passersby. I bumped into them again when I was in Varanasi. From what I could tell, they were doing okay, there clothes were clean, there children seemed well fed and happy, etc.

However, they are more or less forced to be on the move all the time, and what I call doing well for them would certainly not be what an IT person would call doing well.

Also, apparently they were considered to be of a lower caste. For instance a hotel I stayed at would not let them inside, even after I had arranged ahead of time that a drummer was going to join me on the rooftop. I assume this is a caste type issue as I have heard that musicians are close to the bottom of the heap. This is ironic considering they would be playing for royal courts and palaces..

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shashank.aggarwal

its not the caste issue..because hotels cannot afford to do that...

It seems to be Class issue..from their appearance as per Urban Indian standards..they appear to be from lower half of the lower middle class...

Ps : B.t.w. the girls look real cute, and I really hope they have a great future for themm

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crowgirl

"...as I have heard that musicians are close to the bottom of the heap."

This has to be one of the saddest things I've read today. Words really don't express my feelings upon reading that.

dilbharatmain

There are plenty of great Indian artists and musicians indulging full time in their artistic passion and making a good living from it. Most that I know are probably living not quite the typical middle-class india dream, many roam between the Himalaya, Varanasi and Goa. Here is a link to a great friend of mine who is making a real good living following his passion for painting in India.

http://www.hindu.com/mp/2005/08/31/s...3101070500.htm
and
http://www.saffronart.com/artistdeta...ourceid=243 6

Varanasi especially is brimming with musicians who are having a good full time living from their craft and talent.

robotvoice

Sorry crowgirl, I didn't mean to depress anyone with my post, and like I said they seemed to be doing pretty well.

If you want to talk about bottom of the heap, how about trying to survive as a musician in the U.S??

Familyonthemove

Painting seems to be a thriving business in Mumbai. The Times of India has a report on a new art exhibition every day.

I recently a fabulous paining by Siddharth - simply because we liked it - but the gallery owner thought we were buying it as an investment.

There must also be opportunities for many talented people in 'Bollywood' .... which is as much in Hyderabad as Bombay?

But unless you become a sort-after artist the wage levels will tend to be very low compared to the West.

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batistuta

Some of the Musicians who perform at the Chennai Music festivals would be quite well-off and they may make a very good living out of it. I am not so sure about other musicians.

Nick would be the right person to answer this question as he loves carnatic music and is a regular at the chennai Music festival scene .

Dilliwala

You shud have specified that these are folk musicians in the picture. And shashank rightly pointed out that it wud have more likely been a socio-economic thing for the hotel rather than caste. Not that I'd be willing to bet on that.
BTW, the classical guys like Bhajan Sopori, Shivkumar Sharma, Jasraj, Vishwa Mohan Bhatt and others whose names I can't remember have "Pandit" prefixed to their names. Not that it's a pre-requisite for classical music. Not anymore that is.
Certainly u've pointed in the direction of a valid point - the above 2 examples will illustrate who was "allowed" to do what in the old days when caste structures were rigid, and in both cases above, the people are actually just carrying on with their respective family vocations from way back when.
But as I pointed out, it's no longer a pre-requisite. Non-Brahmins are not, and obviously cannot be, excluded from the classical world, and desi pop singers and bands (complete with engineering, IT or medical degree in hand!) have turned the folk world on it's head by adapting many folk tunes to "Indi-pop" (ughhhh!).

machadinha

Were these people Bauls by any chance and that you know of?

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Dilliwala

Those are not Bauls in the pic.

machadinha

No, thanks, I was thinking the same. The description seemed so matching though.

Well, hence the automatic appeal to similar minstrel-minded people I guess Papa was a rolling stone etc.

Dilliwala

More here:
http://images.google.co.in/images?so...IN236&q=b aul

machadinha

Yes, however I don't think they all go so recognizably clad.

Anyway we're hijacking this thread. Generally agree with RV: try and make a living in the West off your music. Not impossible though. And I suppose "freedom" like anything else has its price.

crowgirl

If you want to talk about bottom of the heap, how about trying to survive as a musician in the U.S??
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I am well acquainted w/ this topic as during my lifetime all of my friends have been/are musicians/artists/writers. My husband has been a musician his entire life. At one point he was in a band designed to go places- they were on the Letterman show/limos-the whole bit. Then things went to hell and he was once again in the everyday life of struggle to make a living~

He became fascinated with the veena and has been learning/playing this instrument for several years but unless he finds ways to incorporate it into a market it will remain a passion and no more.

My point in all this (re: my sadness) is that never once has anyone suggested/hinted that he or anyone we know are at a bottom of a heap for choosing this lifestyle....rather that most talented artists are unappreciated here in US especially since there is a glut of folks all attempting to do this same thing with advent of technology/the tweaking of untalented to appear talented and image being more important than actual talent.

Since India appeared to me to be a land of inspired music North/South and all regions inbetween I was wondering in this thread if people there were really appreciated and could make a comfortable living doing only their artistic craft.

From what I am sensing here it feels like the IT/science world having taken over India and other countries is the main aspiration worth attaining in order to survive and that the creative world has been relegated to a very minimal status.

I keep myself busy shattering my personal illusions about how I've perceived life elsewhere...